1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a vehicle communication device for a vehicle such as an automobile and particularly relates to a communication device suitable for emergency communication.
2. Related Art
In recent years, there has been so-called telematics communication system in which a vehicle and an external system perform various communications via a base station.
The telematics communication system is expected to provide information relating to a vehicle, road traffic information, or the like to the vehicle and perform emergency communication.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. 2006-4180 discloses a communication system for a vehicle that performs communication with the outside of the vehicle through a wireless communication device provided to the vehicle.
JP-A No. 2012-172334 discloses a technique in which a vehicle is provided with a vehicle exterior antenna and a vehicle interior antenna as antennas for performing locking and unlocking of a door lock of the vehicle with a wireless electronic key.
While the telematics communication system described above allowing emergency communication in the case where a vehicle is involved in an accident such as a collision contributes greatly to ensuring human safety, aid, or the like, it is obvious that communication needs to be ensured at the time of emergency for that purpose.
However, in the case of a collision accident, an antenna or wiring for an antenna installed in a vehicle is highly likely to be damaged. Accordingly, a situation of a communication failure is easily conceivable.
There is a large limitation in terms of layout design, vehicle design, cost, and the like as to the number of antennas to be installed in a vehicle for backup in preparation for damage of an antenna.